Radar detection systems are used in many applications. For example, radar detection systems are used to detect objects in the air, such as airplanes, helicopters, and other aircrafts. Similarly, radar detection systems are also used for detecting objects on the ground. For example, ground detection radar systems are sometimes used in security applications to alert for the presence of intruders, unfriendly combatants, and other unwanted parties and/or objects.
In the past, radar detection systems have been able to perform a continuous 360 degree azimuth scan of their proximate area to a limited range. However, such radar systems are capable of performing the azimuth scan only at a fixed elevation. Based on the surrounding terrain, scanning at a fixed elevation may not provide the desired coverage for that particular area. This is better explained with reference to the following example.
FIG. 1A illustrates a diagram of an exemplary radar coverage map view. In this example, a conventional radar system 100 is deployed in an area that has significant topographical variations. For example, an area of high elevation exists at azimuth angles of approximately 170 to 260 degrees relatively to the radar detection system 100. There is also an area of low elevation at azimuth angles of approximately 280 to 360 degrees relative to the radar detection system 100. The remaining area between azimuth angles 360 to 170 degrees has an elevation that varies by only a few degrees, and is generally an even-level area.
FIG. 1B illustrates a diagram of an exemplary radar coverage panoramic view of the conventional radar system 100. The panoramic view illustrates the high elevation area between azimuth angles 170 to 260 degrees, the low elevation area between azimuth angles 280 and 360 degrees, and the generally flat area between 360 and 170 degrees. As previously discussed, the conventional radar detection system 100 performs a scan at a constant elevation. The elevation is typically manually set during the deployment of the system 100. In this example, the panoramic view shows examples of three (3) constant elevation scans, Levels 1-3, that the conventional radar detection system 100 may be manually set to perform.
There are substantial drawbacks with the conventional radar detection system 100. For example, if the radar detection system 100 is manually set to scan along the higher Level 1 elevation, there may be objects-of-interest that are located at lower altitudes or on the ground that the system 100 may not be able to detect due to the radar beam passing above such objects-of-interest. If, on the other hand, the radar detection system 100 is manually set to scan along the medium-height Level 2 elevation, there may be objects-of-interest that are located above and below the scanning elevation that may not be detected, again because the objects-of-interest are not illuminated by the radar beam. Similarly, if the radar detection system 100 is manually set to scan along the lower Level 3, there may be objects-of-interest that are located at higher altitudes that the system 100 that may not be able to detect.
Thus, there is a need for an improved radar detection system.